A/N: takes place at Hershel's farm at the walker outbreak and some of the events after.

You were alone when you saw the massive herd of walkers. You started running back to the farm to warn the others. There wasn't much time. You got there in time to see Lori on the porch.

"Lori!" You screamed. "We have to get out of here! Walkers are coming, there's too many." She looked alarmed and looked where you had just come from. She saw the great mass of walkers and then everyone was scurrying to the cars.

"Where's Carl?" You yelled to Lori over the noise.

"I don't know. Have you seen Rick? Maybe they're together." She called back.

You were in a small group with Lori, Carol, Andrea, Beth, Patricia, and T-Dog. You were almost to the cars when a walker grabbed onto Patricia. Beth cried out to her but Lori pulled her away. You had lost sight of Carol and Andrea. You all had reached the truck, T-Dog was driving, and Lori was trying to comfort Beth. You jumped in the back and shoved a walker away from the car. You slid the gun that was slung across your back to your front and yelled at T-Dog to get all of you out of there. You stood up in the back of the truck and placed the gun on the top, half leaning on it yourself. You started shooting at all the walkers that got in the way which is when you saw the ruby flames they had engulfed the barn. You stared at it in horror seeing that some of the walkers that had caught completely on fire were still walking.

"What about the others?" You yelled down to them.

"They're on their own!" T-Dog yelled.

"I'm not leaving without Carl!" You yelled at the same time as Lori yelled, "I'm not leaving without Rick and Carl!"

"We gotta leave now!" T-Dog yelled at both of you. You shot a walker in the face and kicked it off the truck. You gritted your teeth in anger but yelled, "fine!" at T-Dog. Under your breath you told a promise to the wind.

"I'll find you again Carl. I promise I'll see you soon."

~Mean While~

Carl and Rick were having their own problems leaving. Hershel was yelling he wasn't leaving the farm while Rick was yelling he had to. Carl was looking around trying to find everyone else, Carol, Beth, Andrea, his mom, and you too. He wanted more than anything at this moment to know you were safe.

"Dad, have you seen mom or (y/n)?" He asked his dad hoping he'd say he had.

"No, but we'll meet up with them somewhere, well see them again I promise. Now get in the car." Rick said while Hershel shot his last round and ran to the car. Carl looked around one more time before retreating to the car.

. ~ . * . ~ .

"We have to go back for them." Lori said.

"No we need to head to the coast. Something we should have done a long time ago." T-Dog said.

"Then we have to go back to the highway. They'll be there."

"No were going to the coast."

"If you don't take us back to the highway well all jump out of this car." Lori threatened as she started opening the door.

"Fine, but all of you are crazy." T-Dog relented reluctantly. You hoped that Lori was right and they would be there. Not just Carl and Rick, but everyone.

. ~ . * . ~ .

Rick, Carl, and Hershel were the first to arrive at the high way.

"No one else is here. We need to keep moving."

"No we have to wait. I need to see if sh- if they're coming." Carl said.

They waited, and then like a miracle one car after another everyone came. You hopped over the side of the truck and you swore you never ran harder in your life.

"Carl!" You yelled. He turned and when he saw you he broke into a run.

"(y/n)!" he yelled back. You both ended up slamming into each other a falling on the ground. You hugged him harder than you ever had.

"I didn't know if I'd see you again." You breathed into his ear. He nuzzled his face into your shoulder and hair and breathed in your scent.

"I was worried." He said. You just held him tighter if it was possible. Someone cleared their throat. You both looked over to see everyone smiling and looking at you. You got up and helped him up as well but not once did you part from each other. You both were walking extremely close to one another so your hips brushed when you walked and your hands were tightly clasped together as if you thought if you let go you'd never see each other again.

"Is everyone here? Where's Andrea?" Carl asked.

"We saw her go down."

"Who else is missing?" The conversation went on about who died or was missing and what to do next. You and Carl quietly snuck away when no one was paying attention and went to the side of the road by one of the cars.

You both leaned against the car and looked up towards the sky.

"Do you think that everyone who died is in a better place?" You asked.

"I don't know, maybe." Carl said. You slid down the side of the car and sat, Carl followed suit.

"Promise you'll never leave me." Carl said.

"Carl, you know I can't promise that. We're all going to die eventually."

"But right now were alive. And for the rest of the time we have I want you to, no I need you to promise me that you won't leave me." You looked him in the eyes, you saw love and pain and sorrow and hope. You brought your hands up to his face and rubbed small circles on his cheeks with your thumbs.

"I promise." You murmured barely audible before bringing your lips to his. Your lips molded perfectly to his, you moved your hands from his face to around his neck and tangled your fingers in his hair. His hands moved to around your waist and lifted you onto his lap. His tongue ran over your bottom lip asking to deepen the kiss. You complied and opened your mouth. His tongue mapped out your mouth and then tangled itself with your own. You parted when your lungs felt like they were on fire.

"Forever Carl, forever." You murmured. Forever was something you both would say to the other for reassurance. If one had a nightmare, forever, almost died, forever, and in this case get separated and don't know if the other's ok, forever. It was your strange way of telling each other your love would last that long. Carl just held you tighter and rested his forehead against yours.

"I'll never let you go, you know that right. Even if one day you stop loving me, I'll make you fall in love with me all over again."

"That'll never happen, I'll love you forever Carl. Forever."